Biopsychology- neurons

What are the three different types of neurons?

Motor, sensory, relay

Where are sensory neurons found?

Receptor cells

What do sensory neurons do?

Carry nerve impulses to the spinal cord and brain.

What are the nerve impulses from sensory neurons translated into?

Sensations e.g. vision and touch.

Where do some sensory neurons stop and why?

Spinal cord as it allows for quick reflex actions.

Where are relay neurons found?

Between sensory input and motor output/ response.

Where do relay neurons travel to?

The brain and spinal cord.

What do relay neurons do?

Allow sensory and motor neurons to communicate.

Where are motor neurons found?

In the central nervous system (CNS).

What do motor neurons do?

Control muscle movements.

What happens when motor neurons are stimulated?

They release neurotransmitters that bind to the receptors on muscles to trigger a response.

What does a motor neuron look like?

What does a sensory neuron look like?

What does a relay neuron look like?

What do the dendrites in a neuron do?

Receive signals from other neurons or from sensory receptor cells.

Where are dendrites usually connected?

To the cell body.

What is the axon in a neuron and what does it do?

It is a long slender fibre that carries nerve impulses, in the form of an electrical signal known as action potential.

What is the myelin sheath in a neuron and what does it do?

It is a fatty layer which surrounds the axon and acts as an insulator so the electrical impulses can travel faster along the axon.

What does the axon terminal in a neuron do?

Connects the neuron to other neurons (or directly to organs), using a process called synaptic transmission.